Shehu Sani, lawmaker representing Kaduna Central at the Senate has advised President Muhammadu Buhari on what to do pertaining to the request of the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) on Local Government Funds.
The NFIU had announced a ban on the financial transactions in the joint account of State and Local Government Funds.
The intelligence body wants federal allocation of the third tier of government to go straight into their respective accounts.
The move has drawn the anger of state governors who have written to President Muhammadu Buhari seeking the nullification of the policy expected to begin next month.
The 36 state governors in their intervention-seeking letter, said the policy if implemented will tantamount to a violation of the Nigerian Constitution quoting section(6) (a) and (b) “which confers on the States and National Assemblies the powers to make provisions for statutory allocation of Public revenue to the Local Councils in the Federation and within the states respectively.”
Similarly, the governors added, Section 162 (6) expressly “provides for the creation of the States Joint Local Government Account (SJLGA) into which shall be paid all allocations to the LGAs of the State from the Federation Account and from the government of the state.”
But advising the president on what to do, the Kaduna lawmaker urged Mr Buhari to disregard the intervention request from the state governors.
The Senator urged the president to ensure strict compliance to the NFIU policy.
“The President should ignore the petition written by state Governors against NFIU and ensure that Local Governments federal allocation goes to the LG,in line with the NFIU guidelines,” Mr Sani tweeted on Sunday.
